I suppose there isn't a better time for the Elias Pettersson we'd hoped to see returning as J.T. Miller returns to Vancouver for the first time since the trade. And with Miller and the Rangers struggling mightily, you know this will see both teams going all out to get the victory.
Vancouver Canucks (5-5-0) vs. New York Rangers (3-5-2)
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
7:00 pm PST; 10:00 pm EST
TV: Sportsnet 360
Radio: Sportsnet 650
While there might be more important games down the road as the season plays out, this entire season so far has just been killing time until this one. The return of J.T. Miller for the first time since he was traded to the Rangers, thus putting an end to a year long saga that dragged the team into the gutter and the bottom of the standings has been one of the most anticipated games not just on the Canucks calendar, but in the entire NHL. And while we know there's not going to be much of an audience thanks to the Toronto Blue Jays playing Game Four of the World Series, you'll probably want to set the PVR for this one.
Elias Pettersson, after a bit of a slow start in the first couple games, has seemingly returned to his superstar form, playing with a level of confidence we haven't seen in some time. He's been making plays and cranking one-timers into the net like he used to, and with the insane number of injuries the Canucks find themselves having to deal with already, getting him going is exactly what they need.
Meanwhile, Miller and the Rangers are floundering, with just one win in their last seven games. Miller has put up 2G 4A for 6 points, two less than Petey's 3G 5A, and he's averaging three more minutes of ice time per night over Pettersson. Add in the 23 blocked shots so far, and it's clear that the struggles of one of these guys should be getting talked about a lot more, and it ain't the Swede.
The only thing keeping the Rangers from being the absolute worst team in the NHL right now is their goaltending, as both Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick are performing well, they're just not getting any offensive support from the Rangers, who have scored the second least number of goals so far this year. Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox are tied for the Rangers scoring lead with seven points, which is the same number that Conor Garland has put up in the last five games. Given the expectations for the Rangers, it's a little shocking.
If the Rangers have a hope in this one, after getting stomped by a not very good Calgary team the other night, it's taking advantage of a Canucks team whose injury woes continue to mount. Already without Quinn Hughes and Derek Forbort on the back end, they played most of that contest against the Oilers without Victor Mancini, and there are fears he could be gone for a while. Hughes is unlikely to play tonight as well, so that means continuing to lean heavily on Filip Hronek, who has done rather well in Hughes' absence, dating back to last season.
LINEUPS
The nhl dot com thingy has yet again graced us with a questionably accurate depiction of what tonight should show us in terms of lineups:
Rangers projected lineup
Artemi Panarin -- Mika Zibanejad -- Will Cuylle
Conor Sheary -- J.T. Miller -- Alexis Lafreniere
Juuso Parssinen -- Noah Laba -- Taylor Raddysh
Adam Edstrom -- Sam Carrick -- Jonny Brodzinski
Vladislav Gavrikov -- Adam Fox
Carson Soucy -- Will Borgen
Urho Vaakanainen -- Braden Schneider
Jonathan Quick
Igor Shesterkin
Scratched: Brennan Othmann, Matthew Robertson
Injured: Vincent Trocheck (upper body), Matt Rempe (upper body)
Canucks projected lineup
Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Conor Garland
Evander Kane -- Lukas Reichel -- Brock Boeser
Drew O'Connor -- Aatu Raty -- Kiefer Sherwood
Arshdeep Bains -- Max Sasson -- Linus Karlsson
Marcus Pettersson -- Filip Hronek
Elias Nils Pettersson -- Tyler Myers
P.O Joseph -- Tom Willander
Thatcher Demko
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Kirill Kudryavtsev, Nils Aman
Injured: Victor Mancini (undisclosed), Quinn Hughes (lower body), Filip Chytil (concussion protocol), Jonathan Lekkerimaki (upper body), Teddy Blueger (lower body), Nils Hoglander (lower body), Derek Forbort (undisclosed)
Yeah, that's a lot of bodies. I suppose if there's a bright light, it's that Matt Rempe is out for the Rangers, and won't be able to do one of the bullshit hits he's become known for and add to the Canucks IR totals.
GAME DAY CHATTER
If the allegations are true, this is pretty awful. The SA problem in the hockey world needs to be addressed.
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
You know me, I love me a good cover tune. So how's about some PENNYWISE ripping through 'Ace of Spades'? Lemmy would be proud.
Enjoy the game. Fuck fascists and the Rangers. Go Canucks Go!
All in all, not a completely disastrous roadtrip, but the injury gods laugh at this team yet again. Back home to play another ridiculous back to back (3 games in 4 nights yet again), starting with a very good Montreal squad.
Vancouver Canucks (4-4-0) vs. Montreal Canadiens (6-3-0)
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
4:00 pm PST; 7:00 pm EST
TV: CBC
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Back home, and it simply doesn't get any easier. Three games in four nights (well, four in six if you count Thursday in Nashville) and it's against the Habs, the Oilers tomorrow night, and J.T. Miller and the Rangers. Three highly emotional games, three must wins for the Canucks if they hope to keep pace early on.
The start of the trip went well, with big wins in Dallas and Chicago back to back, then that stupid morning game in Washington (and doesn't it seem like someone always gets seriously injured when they play these morning games?), before getting shellacked in Pittsburgh, and basically unlucky to get out of Nashville without a point.
They did manage to get player they'd been looking for via the trade route, snagging Lukas Reichel from Chicago for a 2027 4th round pick, which is a nice deal for the Canucks. Though he's been mostly on the left wing during his time in Chicago, Reichel can play centre, and likely will get a look in that position as the Canucks try to re-tool after losing Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger on that roadtrip.
And while there's no need to set off alarm bells just yet, the season being less than ten games in, small sample sizes and all that, the fact the Canucks sit dead last in scoring is concerning to say the least. On paper, this team should be scoring more than they are. And having lost one of the guys being counted on for his offensive contributions already this year, it's only going to intensify the pressure on Elias Pettersson.
It was pretty clear Pettersson was one of the better forwards on this trip, but that's just not enough right now, and if the Canucks don't want to find themselves having to dig out of a hole early on this season, he needs to start putting the puck in the net. That goes for Jake DeBrusk and Evander Kane, too. Kane's been exactly what we thought we were getting: the odd hit, lots of yapping, a ton of penalties, and embarrassing off ice behaviour.
Fortunately, Thatcher Demko's played outstanding so far this season, but the Canucks are going to need to start producing some goal support for him and Kevin Lankinen and stop wasting good performances in goal. They're also going to need to start garnering some Bettman points in these losses, and have a chance to actually put a little distance between themselves and the Oilers with wins on both nights and a little help from the Kraken tonight against Edmonton.
Tonight's gonna be a tough one, as this young Habs squad, likely pissed off after getting jobbed by some shockingly bad officiating in Edmonton the other night, will be looking to take it out on a Canucks team trying to rebound from a couple frustrating losses of their own.With this year's Calder trophy frontrunner Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki, this is a team that has a ton of talent, and are off to a solid start so far this year.
LINEUPS
From the ol' nhl dot com doohickey, here's what to expect tonight:
Canadiens projected lineup
Cole Caufield -- Nick Suzuki -- Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook -- Oliver Kapanen -- Ivan Demidov
Josh Anderson -- Jake Evans -- Brendan Gallagher
Kirby Dach -- Joe Veleno -- Zack Bolduc
Mike Matheson -- Noah Dobson
Jayden Struble -- Lane Hutson
Arber Xhekaj -- Alexander Carrier
Jakub Dobes
Sam Montembeault
Scratched: Marc Del Gaizo, Joshua Roy
Injured: Kaiden Guhle (lower body), Patrik Laine (lower body), David Reinbacher (broken metacarpal)
Canucks projected lineup
Evander Kane -- Elias Pettersson -- Conor Garland
Jake DeBrusk -- Max Sasson -- Brock Boeser
Drew O'Connor -- Aatu Raty -- Kiefer Sherwood
Arshdeep Bains -- Lukas Reichel -- Linus Karlsson
Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson -- Tyler Myers
Elias Pettersson -- P.O Joseph
Thatcher Demko
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Tom Willander, Joseph LaBate, Nils Aman
Injured: Filip Chytil (concussion protocol), Jonathan Lekkerimaki (upper body), Teddy Blueger (lower body), Nils Hoglander (lower body), Derek Forbort (undisclosed)
So don't expect too much from Reichel right out of the gate, as it will likely take a couple games for him to acclimatize with his new squad. He's supposed to be here in time, but if not, Nils Aman will be in for him. I thought P.O. Joseph played well against Nashville, so it'll be interesting to see if he can keep it up and hang onto that spot with Forbort out now week to week.
GAME DAY CHATTER
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
On deck for you today we've got a band who don't do a lot of cover tunes, but when they do, they absolutely crush, and that's definitely the case with this one from TESTAMENT. From the upcoming 'No Life Til Leather: A Tribute To Metallica's Kill Em All', which also features contributions from MOTORHEAD, RAVEN, DIAMOND HEAD, SAXON, TYGERS OF PAN TANG, and others, this is 'Seek & Destroy'.
Enjoy the game, folks. Fuck fascism! Go Jays Go! Go Canucks Go!
Those of us who are a Certain Age(tm) may remember when John Carpenter's remake of The Thing hit theatres. Justifiably regarded as a horror classic now, at the time it left a lot of viewers disappointed, confused, and even enraged. "What was with that ending?!"
No spoilers for a 40-year-old film, but we're left, at the end, with two survivors. Neither knows if the other is the murderous, shapeshifting creature, or maybe infected, but doesn't know it. So they share a bottle with what is, hopefully, a fellow human. The end.
Filmgoers in the 1980s weren't fans of ambiguity (see also: almost any other 1980s film) and stayed away in droves. Which is a drag because, again, a horror classic. But viewers didn't get the answers they wanted handed to them on a silver platter with a vellum scroll explaining everything.*
So let's talk Elias Pettersson (the forward).
We all know what Elias Pettersson is capable of. Unfortunately, most of us know it by its absence. He has a 100-point season under his belt. He had an 89-point season under his belt. And he has a 66-points in 68 games season under his belt. Then the belt gets a little tight.
In his most recent year, Pettersson finished with a miserable 15 goals and 45 points in 64 games, all three numbers a disappointment. But he did finish strong, getting four goals and ten points in his last ten games. Just as he was getting his game back on a roll, he was injured and missed the last 12 games of the season. There's every reason to think he would have been the Canucks' highest-scoring forward if he remained healthy, but that's in a year nearly everyone else stumbled. So have a grain of salt with the projections.
The question is: what have we seen so far in this season?
He doesn't have the shelter of a J.T. Miller or Bo Horvat working the middle of the ice anymore, so he's going to draw all the attention. Heck, he might not have a Filip Chytil anymore, either. Or a Teddy Blueger, who missed the end of the game against the Capitals.
It's going to sound weird to say, but that shouldn't matter. What we're looking at is how he plays, not just who he plays against.
The biggest issue right now is trying to predict an 82-game season from the first six. There are simply too many variables, including who his teammates will be, to give definite answers there. What we can do is see what's happened so far, and it looks like a tale of two halves.
We can really cut it to "first three/second three" with the start of this road trip being the divider. In two at home and one off in Edmonton, Pettersson has been inconsistent. In every post-game conversation, reviewers will mention "flashes of the old Petey" or a specific play or two that caught their eye. But he was never The Man in the game. Quite the opposite, really, with never standing out.
In those first three games, he managed a minuscule three shots through to the net, one per game, and just one assist. He did protect the puck well, but didn't do much to really earn more than his 16 minutes or so of ice time. He didn't inspire fear in opposing coaches. The constant threat wasn't there.
In the more recent three, though, he's made a solid pairing with Conor Garland. When the duo have lined up with either Evander Kane or Drew O'Connor, chances to score have emerged. Even including their most recent match against the Capitals, with a tired and wildly undermanned forward group, Pettersson made his mark.
The post-game conversation has switched from "occasional flashes" to "he made that play work". He's intercepting passes, breaking up opposing rushes, finding his teammates more easily. The other phrase you started to hear was that he was snakebit. Doing the right thing, just unlucky not to score. Which is a heck of a lot better than not having the chances.
Finally getting his first goal in Washington was nice, but better was how he scored it. Finding the empty spot, slowing time, and putting it right where he wanted. Lindgren watched him shoot, but really had no chance. That's an Elias Pettersson kind of goal.
The roadie started in the worst possible way for Pettersson when he deflected a puck into his own net, but since then? It's not that "He's Back!" so much as "He's changed." We just have to see to what.
On what is a vibes-based team, Pettersson is key. His skill is only part of his game. There is a certain arrogance he plays with that goes beyond that. You can feel it when he's on, and it's awesome.
When Quinn Hughes is at the top of his game, you can see him calculating his best next play. There are numbers running over his head while he walks the blue line, taking everything in. He's putting the work in, updating the equations as he collects new information, and it shows. The amazing thing is that it doesn't slow him down in the slightest.
With Pettersson at the top of his game, everything he does feels virtually effortless. That's ridiculous, of course, because some of what he does is throwing himself in front of consecutive Alex Ovechkin shots, and there's nothing easy about that! But it feels like he's done all his work before the game and is prepared for whatever happens next. He trusts that what he does next will be the right play.
Thing is, that doesn't always mean points. Other thing is, that could still be well worth $11.6 million.
My scoring expectations for Elias Pettersson are fairly modest, and also not modest at all. I expect he'll hover at or just below a point-per-game throughout his career. Is THAT worth his massive paycheque? On its own, no. Which is why I expect he'll do more than just score.
One of the most ridiculously underrated stars in the league is retiring after this season. To me, Elias Pettersson could do far worse than follow the career of Anže Kopitar.
Kopitar was halfway through his career by the time he was Pettersson's age. Between the ages of 20 and 26, he scored 182 goals and 485 points in 532 games. Pettersson's numbers are 185 goals and 459 points in 476 games. But Kopitar has always been more than his scoring, picking up two Selke Trophies and three Lady Byngs in the back half of his career.
Those are the kind of numbers Pettersson has the talent to replicate. He also has the defensive chops to be in the Selke conversation in the coming years. He doesn't have the advantage of Kopitar's mass and never will, but that hasn't stopped him from being remarkably effective getting between the puck and his own net.
And before you say that Kopitar's only making $7 million this year, remember he signed a $10 x 8-year deal when he was 29 years old, back in 2016. The salary cap then was $73 million, not 2024's $88 million. Anyone want to argue that he wasn't worth it?
Sure, we need to see more from Pettersson than we have so far this year. Some do say that he's being paid like a star, so he should score like one. I say he should get his points, obviously. But if he's lining up against the opposition's best and beating them regularly, game in and game out? Then he doesn't need 100 points for the team to win. And that will be worth it.
*Not that I'm critical of that approach or anything. Weenies.
Another day, another impressive come from behind victory on the road. With a day's rest, the Canucks are in the occupied capital city of America, to take on some crazy Russian guy.
Vancouver Canucks (3-2-0) vs. Washington Capitals (4-1-0)
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
9:30 am PST; 12:30 pm EST
TV: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
We hate these stupid morning games, and feel like the Eastern teams use this as an advantage against Western teams.
Now, with that out of the way, let's get down to it.
While I don't think that spotting teams 2-0 leads is any recipe for success, the way the Canucks have responded to adversity on this road trip so far has been encouraging to say the least. Sure, there's things that need adjusting, but getting solid efforts from the entire lineup, the kind of goaltending they'll need if they want to make the playoffs, and a fourth line whose work ethic is leading the way, is perhaps something to be hopeful of.
As Adam Foote tries to navigate his first season as a head coach in the NHL, putting together the line that had driven the Abbotsford Canucks to their AHL Championship glory this past spring is looking better with each passing game. With Max Sasson reunited alongside Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson have been incredibly effective, and giving teams fits as they get outworked by the former Abby trio.
Another thing that's going to help the Canucks is getting Teddy Blueger back in the lineup. His ability on faceoffs and as a penalty killer are going to have an immediate impact, bolstering the Canucks bottom six as they continues this road swing. The issue with Blueger coming back is it forces the Canucks to make Jonathan Lekkerimaki a healthy scratch, and hopefully they find a way to get him back into the lineup, as it's not going to help his development sitting in the press box.
The Capitals are off to a strong start, winners of four straight after dropping their home opener to the Bruins. If there's an opening for the Canucks here, it's taking advantage of the special teams battle. With their power play ranked 26th and penalty kill in 30th, making the Caps pay during the man advantage is going to be a big factor in this morning's game.
LINEUPS
Over on the ol' nhl dot com place, they had this potential lineup thing going on:
Canucks projected lineup
Evander Kane -- Elias Pettersson -- Conor Garland
Jake DeBrusk -- Filip Chytil -- Brock Boeser
Drew O’Connor -- Teddy Blueger -- Kiefer Sherwood
Arshdeep Bains -- Max Sasson -- Linus Karlsson
Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson -- Tyler Myers
Elias Pettersson -- Victor Mancini
Thatcher Demko
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Aatu Raty, P.O. Joseph
Injured: Derek Forbort (undisclosed), Nils Hoglander (lower body)
Capitals projected lineup
Alex Ovechkin -- Dylan Strome -- Anthony Beauvillier
Aliaksei Protas -- Connor McMichael -- Tom Wilson
Sonny Milano -- Hendrix Lapierre -- Ryan Leonard
Brandon Duhaime -- Nic Dowd -- Justin Sourdif
Martin Fehervary -- John Carlson
Jakob Chychrun -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Rasmus Sandin -- Matt Roy
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
Scratched: Declan Chisholm, Ethen Frank
Injured: Pierre-Luc Dubois (lower body), Dylan McIlrath (lower body)
No changes for the Canucks other than in goal, as Thatcher Demko gets the crease after a fantastic performance from Kevin Lankinen Friday night in Chicago. The Canucks will no doubt be pleased that Pierre-Luc Dubois is on the IR for the Caps. He was an absolute menace against them last season, getting away with all manner of garbage plays.
GAME DAY CHATTER
Seriously, what the actual fuck?
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Swiss progressive thrashers CORONER have released their first studio album in 32 years this weekend and it is jaw-droppingly impressive, not just one of the best comeback albums of the year, but a strong contender of the best release in the metal world for 2025. 'Dissonance Theory' is out now on Century Media Records, and from that album, here's 'Symmetry'.
If you only watched the first half or so of the first period, you'd think it was going to be another lackluster performance by the Canucks, but after a slow start, they took control and brought the previously unbeaten Stars back down to reality.
Vancouver Canucks (2-2-0) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (3-0-0)
United Center, Chicago, IL
5:30 pm PST; 8:30 pm EST
TV: Sportsnet One
Radio: Sportsnet 650
After a start that had most of not all of us thinking "Oh god, here we go again", the Canucks settled down, looked a 2-0 Dallas Stars lead in the face and said "Yeah, we've dealt with worse". And we got the response we were hoping for, with the Canucks top 6 getting in on the scoring, a power play goal, some solid penalty killing, and unlike the Oilers game, a fantastic effort from Thatcher Demko that wasn't wasted.
We also saw some more examples of the Canucks dangerous transition game, and using their speed to their advantage on the goals from Filip Chytil and Max Sasson. Throw in a prototypical Conor Garland goal and another solid night from Quinn Hughes, and you get a win the Canucks are full credit for. Even Elias Pettersson, who had a rough first period, rebounded, getting an assist on the PP goal and had chances during the night.
They take on an opponent they'd do well to not take lightly. While we're not gonna come out and say the Chicago Blackhawks are back, not taking them seriously can have a pretty bad ending. Just ask the St Louis Blues, who got stomped 8-3 by these Hawks two nights ago. They have some serious offensive talent and the Canucks will need to be making sure they provide the support that Kevin Lankinen will need tonight.
While this rivalry may never reach the intensity it had a decade and a half ago, given what happened the last time these teams met, I would say it's pretty likely things get spicy in this one.
Dickinson received no supplementary discipline from the league for this, and Chytil was out for the remainder of the season with a concussion. It wasn't addressed in game, so expect it to be er, brought up tonight.
LINEUPS
Over on the nhl dot com thingy, we found tonight's purported rosters:
Canucks projected lineup
Drew O’Connor -- Elias Pettersson -- Conor Garland
Jake DeBrusk -- Filip Chytil -- Brock Boeser
Evander Kane -- Aatu Raty -- Kiefer Sherwood
Arshdeep Bains -- Max Sasson -- Linus Karlsson
Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek
Elias Pettersson -- Tyler Myers
Marcus Pettersson -- Victor Mancini
Kevin Lankinen
Thatcher Demko
Scratched: Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Injured: Derek Forbort (undisclosed), Nils Hoglander (lower body), Teddy Blueger (undisclosed), P.O Joseph (lower body)
Blackhawks projected lineup
Colton Dach -- Connor Bedard -- Andre Burakovsky
Teuvo Teravainen -- Frank Nazar -- Tyler Bertuzzi
Ryan Donato -- Jason Dickinson -- Ilya Mikheyev
Ryan Greene -- Lukas Reichel
Alex Vlasic -- Sam Rinzel
Wyatt Kaiser -- Louis Crevier
Matt Grzelcyk -- Connor Murphy
Artyom Levshunov
Spencer Knight
Arvid Soderblom
Scratched: Nick Foligno, Sam Lafferty
Injured: Landon Slaggert (lower body), Joey Anderson (lower body)
No changes other than expect Kevin Lankinen to get the nod for the Canucks tonight. Hawks rolling with an 11-7 set up, which is probably good, considering the serious lack of even remotely recognizable names on that back end. Woof. Could be a long evening for Spencer Knight, eh?
GAME DAY CHATTER
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
While I am sure most of you heard the news last night, but if you hadn't, the rock world lost a giant yesterday with the sudden passing of founding member of KISS, Ace Frehley.
In his honour, an absolute classic. Crank this one for one of the guys that made kids around the world pick up the guitar and learn how to rock! RIP Spaceman!
Enjoy the game. Fuck fascism. Go Canucks Go!
After two straight simply unacceptable efforts against the Oilers and Blues, the Canucks will look to get things back on track with a tough road trip that begins with 3 games in 3 1/2 days starting tonight in Dallas.
Vancouver Canucks (1-2-0) vs. Dallas Stars (3-0-0)
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
4:30 pm PST; 7:30 pm EST
TV: Amazon Prime
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Maybe heading out on the road, and getting a group with some new pieces to bond together is just what this team needs right now after sputtering off in the last two games. Just a shame they have to start this trip against one of the NHL's best.
The Dallas Stars are unbeaten so far, with just a shootout point surrendered to Colorado the only blemish on their record so far. And those wins come against some pretty good teams, having beaten division rivals Minnesota and Winnipeg as well as the Avs. And so with three wins to start the year, the Stars are once again getting good goaltending from Jake Oettinger to start the season, and we shouldn't be totally surprised if the Stars give Casey DeSmith the crease tonight. If they don't, it's likely something to do with the last time these teams met back in April, and that whole three goals in the final minute before giving up the winner in OT thing that happened in that game. I guess they need to remember that Pius Suter can't hurt them anymore (well, at least when they're playing the Canucks, right?). But when you take a closer look at those wins, and the numbers this Stars team is putting up, and it's not nearly as impressive as it looks.
Not only are they due for a loss, but the way they are playing, this is still a very beatable team. If the Canucks can show more of what we saw against the Calgary Flames and less of what happened against the Oilers and Blues, they could very well see themselves back at .500 as they make the journey to the Windy City and a date with the Blackhawks.
Apart from Kiefer Sherwood, the goaltenders, and Quinn Hughes, it's been a disappointingly inconsistent start to the season, and a strong 60 minute effort tonight before heading up to Chicago for the tail end of this double header will be something that they can build on for this five game road swing out East. That means seeing more from guys like Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Chytil, and Evander Kane. They also need to get their power play going to catch up to a penalty kill that has looked solid so far this season.
As frustrating as those losses are, there are signs things could be getting better. The team isn't getting their heads caved in with Quinn Hughes on the bench so far, and that is something that has to stay consistent if this teams wants to succeed this season. They're going to have to put in the work, but if they do, they should have more nights like we saw in the season opener. Thatcher Demko is back, time to start providing him with better defence and goal support.
LINEUPS
From that nhl dot com thingy, here's what we should expect for tonight:
Canucks projected lineup
Drew O’Connor -- Elias Pettersson -- Conor Garland
Jake DeBrusk -- Filip Chytil -- Brock Boeser
Evander Kane -- Aatu Raty -- Kiefer Sherwood
Arshdeep Bains -- Max Sasson -- Linus Karlsson
Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek
Elias Pettersson -- Tyler Myers
Marcus Pettersson -- Victor Mancini
Thatcher Demko
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Injured: Derek Forbort (undisclosed), Nils Hoglander (lower body), Teddy Blueger (undisclosed), P.O Joseph (lower body)
Stars projected lineup
Sam Steel -- Roope Hintz -- Mikko Rantanen
Jason Robertson -- Wyatt Johnston -- Mavrik Bourque
Justin Hryckowian -- Radek Faksa -- Tyler Seguin
Adam Erne -- Colin Blackwell -- Nathan Bastian
Esa Lindell -- Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley -- Nils Lundkvist
Lian Bichsel -- Alexander Petrovic
Casey DeSmith
Jake Oettinger
Scratched: Ilya Lyubushkin
Injured: Oskar Back (undisclosed), Jamie Benn (collapsed lung), Matt Duchene (upper body)
Linus Karlsson is in, and Jonathan Lekkerimaki is out, as Karlsson will suit up for his first game of the season. He's being reunited with Arshdeep Bains and Max Sasson, who was called up from Abbotsford ahead of this road trip. That line was absolutely lethal for the Canucks on their march to the franchise's first Calder Cup Championship this past summer (remember that?). The Canucks also put Derek Forbort on the IR, and as expected, it'll be Demko vs DeSmith in goal tonight.
GAME DAY CHATTER
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Got a fun little cover tune for you today from Colorado based thrashers HAVOK. Ripping through a version of Creedence Clearwater Revival's 'Commotion', this is off their 'album 'New Eyes' EP that came out last year.
Enjoy the game. Fuck fascism. Go Canucks Go!
Second-guessing is in the nature of any ardent sports fan. We are all better general managers than the fool that the foolish owners hired! Every draft pick was an obvious miss (or too-easy hit) that we would have avoided/made, every signing for far more than we would have done, etc.
You get the idea.
Starting the season with Braeden Cootes in the lineup wasn't a mistake. There was plenty of doubt around the move, to be sure, and for good reason. The Canucks are a fairly light, young team, and adding the 18-year-old Cootes only exacerbated that. Thing is, he absolutely earned his spot in the starting lineup, especially with Nils Höglander and Teddy Blueger out.
Cootes wouldn't be taking either of their spots, obviously. But if he could help the team through their absence as others moved up into the newly available slots, it would work as a test run. And who knows? He might just stick! His maturity showed in both discussing his role in Vancouver and his play on the ice. Let's go for it.
What would be really fun is if he and Jonathan Lekkerimäki worked as a tandem right from his start. That would be just perfect: NHL history is loaded with tandems that helped teams reach the heights. Just imagine having ten years of that!
With Cootes headed back to Seattle, you can guess what the results were. He and Lekkerimäki are both at the bottom of the team in Corsi rankings, with their most frequent linemate, Drew O'Connor, not far behind. They were massively outshot in their games together and had real difficulty retrieving the puck once they lost it.
The kicker is that while Cootes was the worst Canucks skater on the ice statistically, he didn't play that badly. He had a couple turnovers, but found the right place to be quickly when that happened. He didn't get a shot on net himself, but his linemates did. He could see plays happening, but couldn't quite execute them because - and this may surprise you - there was another team on the ice trying to stop it.
In short, the mind is up to the task, but the flesh is just not there yet. Fortunately for him, and for the Canucks, and for us, that is self-correcting. The coaches and players all seem to feel that Cootes is self-motivated enough that adding some muscle won't be a problem. It might be a year away, but that's fine. They have time.
The bigger problem isn't with Cootes, of course. It's with a team that is thin on talent, whose best players haven't been. Losing Höglander and Blueger shouldn't be devastating, but their experience shows in its absence. The one line that is rolling right now is the erstwhile third line of Aatu Räty, Arshdeep Bains, and leading scorer Kiefer Sherwood.
Conor Garland has been his usual whirling dervish self out there, but it's hard to be impressed by anyone else in the top six. Filip Chytil is great at puck entries, and his talent is on show early. The longer he stays healthy, the better. But he does run hot and cold, following his two-goal game against Calgary with two pointless ones after. And Evander Kane still looks like he's finding his legs.
Fortunately, those three have some signs of life in them as the second line. That's more than can be said of Elias Pettersson between Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk. The trio has been... okay, but no more than that. And okay isn't what Vancouver needs from their top line. They need teams to fear them when they come over the boards.
Three games in is hardly time to panic, but the worst sign that the Canucks are flailing is Quinn Hughes. Not him playing badly, but trying to do it all. If play is breaking down, he will just hang on to the puck rather than distributing it. See what plays he's looking for, and hope they're passes rather than circling back or a desperate shot from the point.
With Cootes out of the lineup, speedster Max Sasson has been called up from Abbotsford. That doesn't mean he'll be starting right away, but the team wants him handy for the road. It's as likely that Linus Karlsson gets first crack at it, though the team seems to view Karlsson as a winger rather than a centre. O'Connor can take draws with reasonable proficiency, while Karlsson becomes the line's defensive conscience.
On the other hand, a line of O'Connor, Sasson, and Lekkerimäki would bring a silly amount of speed that low in the lineup. That could be fun to watch, so long as you're not tending the net behind them. That may well happen at some point, out of exhaustion of options, if not deliberate planning. There is no word when Blueger will be back, though he's only listed as day-to-day, so it should be sometime on this trip. Höglander, on the other hand, will be another month or more.
We're leaving the defence and goaltending alone this time because they're not the points of concern. Yes, Kevin Lankinen let in four goals, but he was pretty much left out to dry against St. Louis. "He's not as good as Thatcher Demko" isn't a reasonable criticism. Victor Mancini was brought up to try getting a little more offence going, but he's not the saviour. Just one point from the defence is a surprise, but that's a whole-team thing rather than a flaw in the blue line.
This five-game trip is a good excuse to focus on their play after a chilly wake-up call. The good vibes surrounding training camp were nice, but they are left at home for the next ten days.
Saturday night was as awful as Thursday was awesome. No time to dwell on bad nights though, as the Canucks go up against a team that they could well be battling for a Wild Card spot in the spring.
Vancouver Canucks (1-1-0) vs. St Louis Blues (1-1-0)
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
4:30 pm PST; 7:30 pm EST
TV: Amazon Prime
Radio: Sportsnet 650
That was a frustrating watch, for sure. The Canucks went from doing so many things right on Thursday night to doing so few of them right on Saturday. And make no bones about it, Thatcher Demko was the only reason they even had a sniff at that game. I mean, that was one of the best performances we've seen out of Demko in quite some time, and the Canucks absolutely wasted it. We better see them trying to make amends for that garbage performance tonight as they host the Blues in an early game.
That was also the kind of game I fear we'll see a lot of from Evander Kane. Lots of impact on the contest, very little of it in the Canucks favour. I'd like to say I'd prefer to see him do less yapping and more playing, but he is who he is, and hopefully he doesn't come back to bite them on the ass too hard. Between his play and the gaffe-prone night from Filip Chytil, it was a long, tedious night for the Canucks.
And with a road trip that will see them play Dallas, Chicago and Washington over the span of 3 1/2 days (absolutely HATE that bullshit 9:30 am start time, and the NHL should not be allowing Eastern teams try to take advantage of Western teams this way), the Canucks really need to finish this first week of the season with a strong performance against a team they're likely going to be battling with for one of those Western Conference wild card slots, the St Louis Blues.
The Blues are sporting a similar record to start the year, having lost their season opener against Minnesota before rebounding with a 4-2 win over the Flames on Saturday afternoon. The big question for tonight, is do the Blues go back to Jordan Binnington, who gave up 5 goals in that loss to the Wild, or Joel Hofer, who was solid in that win over Calgary? Binnington has a good lifetime record over the Canucks, but if this is the start of a goaltending controversy in St Louis, especially with the Olympics around the corner, it could be a very interesting season.
LINEUPS
Courtesy of the nhl dot com interwebs thingy, here's tonight's expected lineups:
Blues projected lineup
Pavel Buchnevich -- Robert Thomas -- Jimmy Snuggerud
Dylan Holloway -- Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou
Jake Neighbours -- Pius Suter -- Alexander Texier
Mathieu Joseph -- Nick Bjugstad -- Nathan Walker
Cam Fowler -- Colton Parayko
Philip Broberg -- Justin Faulk
Tyler Tucker -- Logan Mailloux
Jordan Binnington
Joel Hofer
Scratched: Matthew Kessel
Injured: Oskar Sundqvist (lower body), Alexey Toropchenko (lower and upper-body soreness)
Canucks projected lineup
Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Brock Boeser
Evander Kane -- Filip Chytil -- Conor Garland
Drew O'Connor -- Braeden Cootes -- Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Arshdeep Bains -- Aatu Raty -- Kiefer Sherwood
Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson -- Tyler Myers
Derek Forbort -- Elias Nils Pettersson
Kevin Lankinen
Thatcher Demko
Scratched: Victor Mancini, Linus Karlsson
Injured: Nils Hoglander (lower body), Teddy Blueger (undisclosed), P.O. Joseph (lower body)
According to this, it's gonna be Binnington vs Kevin Lankinen tonight. We know Lankinen will get at least another start this week, as they have a double header, likely the game in Chicago Friday night, as Demko should get the nod Thursday night in Dallas. Teddy Blueger is still not ready to return, so that means no changes for the Canucks, but if they don't get in tonight, expect Victor Mancini and Linus Karlsson to get some ice time on this road trip.
UPDATE: Mancini in, Forbert out for tonight.
GAME DAY CHATTER
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
I hope you're all having a good holiday weekend, and so to avoid indigestion, here's some nice Italian power metal that's gonna go down nice and easy. From their 2003 self-titled album, this is LABYRINTH with 'The Prophet'.
Enjoy the game, fuck fascism, and Go Canucks Go!
The Vancouver Canucks are going to open the season at home against a tired Calgary Flames team. Not saying it's a "must win", but other teams' travel is one of the few advantages being coastally-based gives. So they better.
But in among the expectations for the coming season, something is always going to surprise. What is it that will make fans and players alike blink twice at the stats pages by the time all the hardware is handed out? I pestered a couple of my bitter rivals coworkers for answers.
Yeah, I'm gaming it because I'm the one writing it up. I'll put them in what I think is least to most shocking if it happens. We're not going to bother with the impossible - "Fans convince the Aquilinis to sell!" - but any of these would be a surprise.
Did I mention I cheated? Because I asked his opinion last week, well before the mini-clinic Braeden Cootes and Jonathan Lekkerimäki put on against Edmonton. The kids showed they belonged, even if one's 18 years old, and even if it's briefly.
The magic of ten games is that's when his entry level contract burns a year, so is looked on as a hard line for NHL teams. I don't know how important that is anymore, though. A bigger line to me is when he's no longer considered a rookie going into next year, a 25-game limit.
The other barrier to his being sent down is that he can't go to the AHL, but would have to return to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL. That's a huge jump, so even if it's close the Canucks might be reluctant to send him back. It's worth talking about.
Off the deep end quick, then. This season is going to be an interesting watch for a lot of reasons, not least of which is whatever system rookie coach Adam Foote puts in place. He consulted - a LOT - with his players over the Summer, and that had to include asking them what they wanted to see.
It looks like they're pressing for offence, led by the blue line. Not a bad decision, given where the talent lies, but it's risky. Demko and Lankinen are good at breakaways, but there's only so many a team wants to give up. If it doesn't work quickly, Foote might change his mind back to a tight, controlled game.
For the record, Vancouver had no wins with a 5-goal gap last year.
This one's going to be really tough. It means either the second wild card was handed a gimmie at around 90 points compared to Vancouver's 100-ish, or that the Canucks finished the year with 105+. Not impossible, but the weaker teams in the West have stocked up a bit, and we probably won't see the level of underperformance that we did last season.
The obvious choice here is Elias Pettersson returning to form. No one else on the team is really "that kind of guy" to suddenly produce at a triple-digit pace. If Foote's system works as intended, then more players will have a chance at more points, but that'll be spread out.
If Pettersson makes it to 100 points, then everything is going perfectly. Things can still go just fine and he'll finish the year at 80-85 instead, and that's far more likely.
Okay, this is more in the "boy, I hope not" category than the "what a shock" one. It's a condensed schedule with an Olympic break, and we all know what Thatcher Demko's injury history is. If he's playing this much, it means Lankinen has been injured, Nikita Tolopilo tanked, and the race is close in February. Oof.
I'm going way out of the box with this one, but mostly because I want more people to notice Kirill Kudryavtsev. He is... disturbingly stable out there, and not just on his skates.
Have you ever heard of the 2003 movie The Cooler? William H. Macy plays a guy who is employed by a casino because whenever he's at a table, whoever else is there has a streak of bad luck. He doesn't win, but that's not why he gets a salary. He makes sure other people lose.
That's Kudryavtsev. When he's on the ice, nothing happens. Shots for, shots against, chances anywhere just dry up. It's kind of hilarious, but also a really underrated skill, especially for a sub-six-footer.
Now, for him to come to Vancouver, a lot of dominos would have to fall. With Jett Woo and Guillaume Brisebois both out long-term, Abbotsford need a stable top pair. That's probably going to be Tom Willander and recently-recalled Victor Mancini.
For Kudryavtsev to get the call, they have to need a stable player, not the swashbuckling style of those two. I'm anticipating a trade from Vancouver's blue line fairly early in the year, moving him up in the depth chart. And once he's here, I think the coaching staff will want him to stay.
So, what do you think? Too wild? Not wild enough? Let us know!
All the Nucks cuts, trims and personal choices have been made for us.
Here's the starting roster according to reliable (or not) public sources:
Forwards (14):
Pettersson, Boeser, DeBrusk, Chytil, Kane, Garland, Blueger, O'Connor, Sherwood, Cootes, Lekkerimäki, Bains, Karlsson, Räty
Defence (7):
Hughes, Hronek, M. Pettersson, Myers, Forbort, E. Pettersson, Mancini
Goaltenders (2):
Demko, Lankinen
Faeries (2):
Hoglander, Joseph
Pretty good starting roster... but now the questions begin. Kent and Thursday provide sane(ish), sober(ish) analysis, Westy and jimmi will provide the other kinds.
Who should be on PP1?
Kent - I think this is pretty simple. Run a first unit with EP40, Boeser, Kane, Garland and Hughes. Second unit can roll DeBrusk, Chytil, Sherwood, Lekkerimaki and Hronek. I'd like to see Garland on that first unit because he has literally been the hardest-working Canuck the past two seasons, and his ability on the boards and with the puck can cause chaos that frees those other three forwards up.
Jimmi - Prefer the top 7 Nucks... but the NHL will whine like little babies about our new over-over-manned unit. Therefore, gotta go with Huggie, Lekky, Petey, Bessie and DeBriskie. Kane can take us off the PP on the 2nd unit.
Westy - I hope to see Lekky out there, shooting one-timers, just so Petey gets more space to go shoot one-timers. The man in the front better be ready to take a few shots. I think DeBrusk has better hands, but Kane might be able to take more abuse.
Thursday - I'll need to be convinced that Kane can do anything that needs creativity, but if he can hold the front of the net, I'm good with him being there. Otherwise, the QB has got to be Hughes, with Boeser, Pettersson, and probably DeBrusk down low. He has a weirdly effective shot when he's standing on the red line.
How effective will the mighty Nucks PK be this season?
Kent - I think it's going to continue to be solid. They've got some really effective PK guys, and are a threat to pop some shorties. They definitely need to work on staying out of the box as much as possible, but it's far from an automatic goal if they have to kill one off.
Jimmi - Very effective. Haven't allowed a single goal yet - in the regular season. They looked pretty good in the pre, just need to pre-empt the issue by only taking penalties against opponents with a pathetic PP.
Westy - First of all, stop taking penalties so we don't need a PK. (You hear me Tyler!) Secondly, it will interesting to see if the PK is agressive or sit back and clear shots. I am sure they will have their "running around chasing shadows" moments. Top 10 would be nice.
Thursday - The PK could be a really fun watch this year. Last season, Garland got to be a regular and did really well. I think he's going to go hunting for goals, just because it will annoy their opponents no end. Curious to see if Boeser gets the PK time he's asking for.
Do you trust Myers....even at $3 million?
Kent - I think we saw signs of Myers being used more effectively last season than his entire tenure in Vancouver. Adam Foote knows what this guy can and cannot do, and if they can pair him up with a solid partner in limited minutes, he'll provide value even at that price.
Jimmi - Yes, but more trusty if he's on the 3rd pair... maybe later.
Westy - I trust the penalty box will be his 2nd home this year....again.
Thursday - He's got a regular "stay-home" partner in Pettersson (no, the other one), and I think Foote will ask him to use his speed more to push the puck up. He'll probably be successful more frequently than not, but I don't know if that means enough to keep the experiment going. Let's say I trust Pettersson to minimize the damage done when it doesn't work.
What are the expectations for Kane?
Kent - I don't know, man. I'm still not even happy with him being here, if I'm honest. How many chances should a guy get, right? I think Jimmi's got the right idea. If Kane can stay healthy and out of the off-ice garbage, he could be either a nice piece of trade bait or... well, I will finish that thought on the next question.
Jimmi - Low to medium low. Expect we'll enjoy watching him take us off the PP. Hence the 2nd unit usage. Maybe he'll stick up for his teammates and get some extra time in Myer's summer cottage. On the medium side, maybe he plays well on the boards and scores enough goals by March to be good trade bait.
Westy - Wouldn't it be nice if he scored 20 goals before the deadline and then have to have a real discussion about his worth. He definitely shouldn't be signed to a new contract by GMPA.
Thursday - He usually does well in a contract year, and he managed to keep his off-ice drama to zero after his move to Edmonton. Getting 20 goals and 50 points with some abrasiveness would do me fine.
Is Cootes here to stay or is this just a 9-game trial?
Kent - Unless he is doing something ridiculous like putting up a point a game, and being an absolute difference maker, this will be 9 games. I am high on him, I think he's gonna end up being an absolute steal of a pick, but I think long term going back to junior for one more year is what's best for him and the team.
Jimmi - Game number 9 or number 96 will tell us all. But we can't wait that long. Besides, he's pre-destined to return to the dub and become a monster point-scoring monster.
Westy - I think it depends on Hogs....oh wait. Think about this, an 18 year old made this team. Playoffs might be hard to get to.
Thursday - I don't care much about the season-burning at ten games, so long as he's earned them. I could see him playing every two of three, then time to practice and reflect on the lessons. I want him to be in the World Juniors, though. I can see the argument either way - do everything for his WHL team, or have NHL opponents and training? I'd love it if he earned his keep with Vancouver, but I'll guess 20 games.
Why will this team miss the playoffs?
Kent - Yeah. You know what? Fuck it. I am tired of all the negative stuff in the world right now, so I am gonna believe in this team. Is it going to be insanely difficult for them? Yes. But this is a team that has some talent, and if they can stay healthy, that is half the battle right there. Injuries and a lot of off-ice bullshit really impacted this team last year. Healthy, return to normal seasons for Elias Pettersson, Thatcher Demko and for some of last year's impact players to build on what they did last time around, in the division they play in could see the Canucks get in, and if you can just get there, crazy shit can happen.
Jimmi - Why oh why? Could it be that BC Faeries can't get cheap hooch anymore at BCLQ shops and take out their unwelcome soberness on our new winning roster. Or our new winning roster still isn't winning enough and there's only one reason left: No practice facility.
But wait! Kent is onto something. Something strange, yet appealing... wish I could remember the word for it... let's back Kent for backing the impossible!
Westy - #1 - Because Vancouver and the hockey gods are trying to push Quinn out.
#2 - Special teams won't be able to make up for this mediocre 5 vs 5 team.
Thursday - The usual reasons, which would be a little odd. Just the team not executing as they should. Not personal drama, not hundreds of games lost to injuries, not a failure to communicate between coaches and players. Just plain old not being good enough.
IF... big IF, if the Nucks miss the playoffs, who will be the next GM? President? Owner?
Kent - You have to think that both the GM and President's jobs are on the line. I have given up waiting for a change in ownership. It's not gonna happen in my lifetime.
Jimmi - Franny will finally come out of the micro-managing boardroom closet and go full macro-managing billionaire President and General Manager of His Vancouver Canucks. Franchise to be moved later to some winery, so Franny can multi-task within limo distance.
Westy - The Sedins will fully take over the team and co-run it all. The team colours will change to the blue, gold and white of Sweden.
Thursday - The Aquabats have a hard time moving on from their decisions. I expect an announcement about how much ownership supports management, followed by a total housecleaning four games into the 2026-27 season and the hiring of Kyle Dubas for every position. They will immediately be fined One McDavid ($12.5 million) for tampering.
How will the Nucks win the division?
Kent - The Oilers lose Draisaitl and McDavid to injury, Vegas underperforms, and the Canucks have the healthiest season in their 55+ miserable years of existence. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
Jimmi - By claiming more than 1 loser point in every freakin' OT, by winning more games in regulation than any other team in the Pacific. Simple. Why didn't they think of this before?
Westy - Vegas implodes and McDavid/Draisatl both get hurt....and Petey gets 100+ points, with Demko getting 10 shutouts. So there's a chance.
Thursday - Slowly. Lots of one- and two-goal wins, no drop-off from Demko to Lankinen, and two defencemen sitting top-six in team scoring.
SIGNING BONUS ROUND:
Besides Kane, which player would be the one traded in March if the Canucks suck.... besides Demko
Kent - I think Chytl and Sherwood would be definite trade bait. I'm not thinking about any other scenarios.
Jimmi - Willander? Myers? (so Westy can nap better) Not Quinn?! They wouldn't dare... would they?
Westy - Demko...wait....I can't say Brock anymore, especially with that contract. So, the dependable 2nd round pick will be traded in March.
Thursday - It's hard to see the team blowing it so badly that they decide to sell pieces, BUT Höglander's the obvious choice that can bring some kind of return. Forbort is a classic "guy team heading into the playoffs wants" for a contender. There's a lot of trade protection to dodge otherwise.
How much will Luke regret signing a cheap long-term deal in Jersey?
Kent - Yes. He could have played it out and come to Vancouver. He'll be sorry.
Jimmi - Like t----h----i----s much. Maybe more.
Westy - I wish I had a cheap contract like Luke. Jimmi.....can I have a cheap contract like Luke.
No. Your current contract is cheap enough. Can't put a price on free.
jimmi
Thursday - At least he'll be close to his favourite hospital. Do they have Frequent Flyer miles?
How much will Huggie want to sign a cheap long-term deal in Jersey?
Kent - Not gonna be cheap. This is the season that convinces him to stay. So shut up about fuckin' New Jersey already.
Jimmi - Not too much. So, that's good. A short term pricey deal in [redacted] to align with Jack's contract. That's not so good.
Westy - I think a cheap Huggy is $15 million/yr.....The Devils would have to make a deal with themselves to be able to cover that.
Thursday - Let's see: on his off days, Hughes can walk around Stanley Park in the rain. Or he can walk around Newark in the sleet.
